WEBVTT 00:00:02.500 --> 00:00:10.632 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. 00:00:10.632 --> 00:00:21.000 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 00:00:29.800 --> 00:00:31.365 Well, good morning, Valley View. 00:00:31.365 --> 00:00:32.200 Morning. 00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:36.000 It's great to be with you while we continue our study in the book of First Peter. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:41.200 We started that last week and we're going to continue today moving forward in chapter one. 00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:45.265 So if you have a Bible, go ahead and turn to First Peter chapter one. 00:00:45.265 --> 00:00:49.566 If you don't have a Bible, we have Bibles available for you in the Connection Corner. 00:00:49.566 --> 00:00:57.799 You can slip out at any time and grab one of those and whenever there's page numbers on the screen, which if you have one of those, that'll be on page 953. 00:00:57.799 --> 00:01:02.500 Whenever there's page numbers on the screen, they tie in to that specific Bible. 00:01:02.700 --> 00:01:09.332 So to help you find references, if you're not familiar with the Bible yet, we're going to be in First Peter chapter one. 00:01:09.332 --> 00:01:12.332 And today we're going to look at verses three through five. 00:01:12.332 --> 00:01:14.900 And so turn there and I'm going to read those verses to get us started. 00:01:15.900 --> 00:01:18.865 First Peter one, chapter three. 00:01:18.865 --> 00:01:21.066 Blessed chapter one, verse three. 00:01:21.066 --> 00:01:26.933 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his great mercy. 00:01:26.933 --> 00:01:51.900 He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 00:01:51.900 --> 00:01:54.900 In this you rejoice. 00:01:55.365 --> 00:01:58.332 So last week we launched the theme of First Peter. 00:01:58.332 --> 00:02:04.533 The overarching theme which you saw in our introductory reel here is finding joy in suffering. 00:02:05.066 --> 00:02:16.265 And I said one of the ways, quoting from Paul Tripp, that Peter gives his people the means of finding joy and suffering is the phrase he used when he gives them marching orders. 00:02:16.265 --> 00:02:19.633 Peter is full of commands, one command after another. 00:02:19.633 --> 00:02:22.199 There's something around 35 commands in the book of Peter. 00:02:23.500 --> 00:02:25.532 But how does he begin? 00:02:25.532 --> 00:02:29.133 It's really interesting that he doesn't start with commands. 00:02:29.133 --> 00:02:30.699 I think that's helpful. 00:02:30.699 --> 00:02:34.300 When you need advice, you usually don't want to just be given commands at first. 00:02:34.300 --> 00:02:35.265 You want to be heard. 00:02:35.265 --> 00:02:36.500 You want to be understood. 00:02:36.500 --> 00:02:40.300 You want to be related to, you want to be given hope. 00:02:40.300 --> 00:02:42.665 And it's interesting that he begins chapter one. 00:02:42.665 --> 00:02:52.332 After we get past initial greetings, verse three through 12 are really in the original language was just one long sentence and there's no commands. 00:02:52.332 --> 00:02:55.300 And he starts with one simple word here, which we just read. 00:02:55.300 --> 00:02:58.932 It's the word blessed be blessed. 00:02:58.932 --> 00:03:00.633 Blessed be God. 00:03:00.633 --> 00:03:02.599 Bless him. 00:03:02.599 --> 00:03:05.599 The word we often use praise him. 00:03:06.699 --> 00:03:09.332 I think we're going to see today as we look at this passage. 00:03:09.332 --> 00:03:13.300 In fact, there's going to be three reasons to praise that we see here. 00:03:13.300 --> 00:03:19.265 One of the keys to finding joy in the midst of suffering is to turn towards praise. 00:03:20.300 --> 00:03:24.900 It's going to be the emphasis of this passage today to turn towards praise in the midst of suffering. 00:03:24.900 --> 00:03:33.165 In fact, we're going to look at in this passage three reasons to praise, three reasons to be blessing God, to praise him. 00:03:33.165 --> 00:03:34.332 Those should be on the screen. 00:03:34.332 --> 00:03:37.332 The first is to be reborn into hope. 00:03:38.300 --> 00:03:40.866 Go ahead and put all three of those up at the same time if you would. 00:03:40.866 --> 00:03:49.032 A reserved inheritance and salvation reveal reborn into hope, a reserved inheritance and salvation revealed. 00:03:49.032 --> 00:03:53.566 Those are going to be the three reasons to praise God here in this passage. 00:03:54.633 --> 00:03:58.765 But before we dive into those three reasons, I just want to talk about that word blessed. 00:03:58.765 --> 00:04:01.032 That word praise for a moment. 00:04:01.032 --> 00:04:04.800 Why would that have been the first place that Peter goes? 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:12.133 I think there's a few reasons why would he push them towards praise before giving them other keys to finding joy in the midst of suffering. 00:04:13.300 --> 00:04:17.500 One is just that this would have been the pattern they had seen in the Old Testament. 00:04:17.500 --> 00:04:20.699 It's how the Jewish people often respond to challenges. 00:04:20.699 --> 00:04:23.100 Here you have Peter's audience there in the midst of suffering. 00:04:23.100 --> 00:04:24.065 They're in the midst of trials. 00:04:24.065 --> 00:04:26.199 They're in the midst of persecution. 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:29.800 Where would you turn for hope in the midst of that? You're going to turn to what you know. 00:04:29.800 --> 00:04:32.333 You're going to turn to the history of the nation. 00:04:32.333 --> 00:04:37.300 I think one example of that we could go to all kinds of places all over the Old Testament. 00:04:37.300 --> 00:04:39.000 A great example of that is in the Psalms. 00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:46.365 This is part of the reason why, in our Bible reading plan, every year, each year we over a three year rotation, we have a different Bible reading plan. 00:04:46.365 --> 00:04:48.466 Next year we'll read through the whole Bible again. 00:04:48.466 --> 00:05:01.500 Over the course of the year, we've been just reading through the Gospels and Acts, but also every time we add in Psalms and Proverbs every day, there's something about the Psalms that resonates with praise and pain both. 00:05:01.500 --> 00:05:03.165 And you see this in Psalm 79. 00:05:03.165 --> 00:05:15.699 If you'll turn over there, I'm going to just highlight a couple of verses in this section that points this out, because in Psalm 79, the people were facing a significant challenge. 00:05:16.300 --> 00:05:22.233 Psalm 79, verse one O God, the nations have come into your inheritance. 00:05:22.233 --> 00:05:25.699 Inheritance is a word in our passage today in First Peter. 00:05:25.699 --> 00:05:28.065 Inheritance would have been the land. 00:05:28.065 --> 00:05:29.899 That's what God had given to his people. 00:05:29.899 --> 00:05:34.333 The land and a nation, a foreign nation has come into your inheritance. 00:05:34.333 --> 00:05:35.233 They have invaded. 00:05:35.233 --> 00:05:37.000 They have defiled your holy temple. 00:05:37.000 --> 00:05:40.000 They have laid Jerusalem in ruins. 00:05:40.300 --> 00:05:41.466 And so the people are suffering. 00:05:41.466 --> 00:05:42.300 They're under siege. 00:05:42.300 --> 00:05:44.500 They're wondering, what are you doing God? 00:05:44.500 --> 00:05:46.932 Why is this happening? 00:05:46.932 --> 00:05:47.600 And it goes on. 00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:48.432 Look at verse five. 00:05:48.432 --> 00:05:51.932 In fact, they say, how long, O Lord, will you be angry? Forever? 00:05:51.932 --> 00:05:54.199 How long are you going to let this happen? 00:05:54.199 --> 00:05:55.865 When are you going to set things right? 00:05:55.865 --> 00:05:58.199 Will your jealousy burn like fire? 00:05:59.432 --> 00:06:01.699 When will it end? 00:06:01.699 --> 00:06:17.533 One thing I appreciate about scripture is the Bible never just glides past the reality of the things we feel in the midst of challenges, doesn't try to paper it over and act like everybody was okay with everything God was doing. 00:06:17.533 --> 00:06:18.865 That's what I love about the Psalms. 00:06:18.865 --> 00:06:25.266 There's a lot of raw emotion there, and I think when you're in the midst of suffering, I mean, how many of us go, what are you doing? 00:06:25.266 --> 00:06:26.333 God, I don't like this. 00:06:26.333 --> 00:06:27.333 I don't know what you're doing. 00:06:27.333 --> 00:06:28.399 I don't want to be here. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:29.966 Would you end this? 00:06:29.966 --> 00:06:32.466 That's. That's my reaction. 00:06:32.466 --> 00:06:35.466 Would you bring this to a close? 00:06:36.100 --> 00:06:37.766 Now, look at how this passage ends. 00:06:37.766 --> 00:06:38.800 Psalm 79. 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:40.000 Look at where they end up. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:42.199 Look at the last verse, verse 13. 00:06:43.865 --> 00:06:49.100 Even though we're in the midst of being sieged, of challenges, of questioning what you're doing. 00:06:49.100 --> 00:06:56.033 But we, your people, the sheep of your pasture, we will give thanks to you forever. 00:06:56.132 --> 00:06:58.665 For generation to generation. 00:06:58.665 --> 00:07:07.000 We will recount your praise, the pattern that people had seen in the course of the Old Testament. 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:08.733 Yeah, be real about how you're feeling. 00:07:08.733 --> 00:07:12.800 Acknowledge that you don't have any idea and you wonder what God's doing. 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:15.932 But we end up with praise, I don't understand. 00:07:15.932 --> 00:07:17.632 I'm going to praise you in the midst of this. 00:07:17.632 --> 00:07:18.766 I don't know what's going on. 00:07:18.766 --> 00:07:19.632 You're my hope. 00:07:19.632 --> 00:07:20.632 I'm going to turn to praise. 00:07:20.632 --> 00:07:22.033 So that's a pattern they would have seen. 00:07:22.033 --> 00:07:24.365 They would have read over and over again in the book of Psalms. 00:07:26.132 --> 00:07:28.966 Another reason, though, that they turn to praise. 00:07:28.966 --> 00:07:32.899 And it's part of the reason why we begin our service with music. 00:07:32.899 --> 00:07:34.300 There's a lot of ways to praise. 00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:35.800 Music is just one element. 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:38.800 Even with all the risks of music. 00:07:38.899 --> 00:07:40.533 We start with music. 00:07:40.533 --> 00:07:45.533 I mean, music is probably one of the most opinionated matters in all of life. 00:07:45.533 --> 00:07:48.899 Maybe apart from food that we have, we all have our preferences. 00:07:48.899 --> 00:07:54.665 Some like country, some like hip hop, some like bluegrass, some like classical. 00:07:54.665 --> 00:08:00.632 Like in this room, almost every person has a different musical preference. 00:08:00.632 --> 00:08:08.966 And yet there's something about music that stirs the heart and in a way, unlike almost anything else. 00:08:08.966 --> 00:08:20.833 And so when we start with singing, we start with saying things like your your name is power, your name is healing, your name is life. 00:08:20.833 --> 00:08:23.833 And we say it over and over again. 00:08:25.500 --> 00:08:34.533 There's something about doing that that stirs our heart towards him, that gets our focus off ourselves and our circumstances. 00:08:34.533 --> 00:08:35.799 Because that's where I naturally go. 00:08:35.799 --> 00:08:40.265 I go to me and my problems and what I'm thinking, rather than the thoughts of him. 00:08:40.265 --> 00:08:41.799 I got to be forced to think about him. 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:44.799 I got to intentionally turn towards him. 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:53.000 And that's just one of the avenues where we try to be intentional, to think about him. 00:08:53.133 --> 00:09:01.332 Another element of this word praise, this word blessed that I think it's critical for us to recognize going into this passage today. 00:09:02.232 --> 00:09:07.700 When Scripture tells us to praise God, to bless him, it's not because he needs to hear it. 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:11.100 He doesn't need to hear it. 00:09:11.100 --> 00:09:13.000 It's not like he has some weakness. 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:22.000 It's not like his love language is words of affirmation, And if he doesn't get enough of that, he'll walk around grumpy, grumpy, and underappreciated. 00:09:22.600 --> 00:09:27.000 Some of us might be that way, but that's not him. 00:09:27.232 --> 00:09:29.200 He is perfect. 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:31.533 He lacks nothing. 00:09:31.533 --> 00:09:36.865 He doesn't need our praise to fill up something in him that's empty. 00:09:37.066 --> 00:09:39.365 It's not him who he needs to hear it. 00:09:39.365 --> 00:09:41.399 We don't praise him for his benefit. 00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:44.399 We praise him for our benefit. 00:09:44.566 --> 00:09:46.000 I need to hear it. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:51.633 I need to be reminded who he is and how great he is over and over again. 00:09:51.633 --> 00:09:57.399 Because I so quickly, I naturally forget. 00:09:57.399 --> 00:10:03.633 That is my natural instinct to forget who he is and what he's done, and to focus on whatever challenge is right in front of me. 00:10:04.932 --> 00:10:06.399 This is the power of praise. 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:09.666 This is why Peter starts with this and and focuses on this. 00:10:09.666 --> 00:10:15.432 So let's look at these three ways in this passage that he points us to praise. 00:10:15.432 --> 00:10:18.966 What are the reasons to praise that we see in this passage? 00:10:18.966 --> 00:10:22.899 The first one that already mentioned is to be reborn into hope. 00:10:22.899 --> 00:10:25.700 We are reborn to hope. 00:10:25.700 --> 00:10:26.899 Look back at verse three. 00:10:26.899 --> 00:10:30.166 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:10:30.166 --> 00:10:32.533 According to his great mercy. 00:10:32.533 --> 00:10:44.133 He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, born again to a living hope. 00:10:44.133 --> 00:10:46.633 That word here for born again. 00:10:46.633 --> 00:10:53.466 It only shows up here in first Peter, here and in verse 23, in chapter one, the only two places where it shows up. 00:10:53.466 --> 00:10:58.633 Now, that idea of being born again, being made new shows up in other places, but never with the same word. 00:10:58.633 --> 00:11:12.100 It's in John three where he says to Nicodemus, you must be born again. Here that idea has the concept, kind of like the idea of fathering, being fathered. 00:11:12.100 --> 00:11:13.600 And I love what one commentator said. 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:14.966 One commentator said it this way. 00:11:14.966 --> 00:11:22.865 It's like the idea that God doesn't didn't just create us, but he also gave us new life in Christ. 00:11:24.966 --> 00:11:42.166 It's a little bit like the contrast between, at a human level, how a male can create a child can be a progenitor, but it takes a man to step up and be a father. 00:11:42.166 --> 00:11:47.700 And some of you have lived this experience where someone gave birth to you. 00:11:49.265 --> 00:11:52.133 But then were absent. 00:11:52.133 --> 00:11:55.166 And then not in every case, unfortunately. 00:11:55.166 --> 00:12:04.265 But sometimes someone else stepped in and said, I will be your father, I will raise you, I will pour life into you. 00:12:04.265 --> 00:12:07.265 And that gave you new life. 00:12:08.299 --> 00:12:11.200 The Christian life is somewhat like that. 00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:13.932 I mean, in Christ you have a brand new life. 00:12:13.932 --> 00:12:15.399 There was there was hopelessness. 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:17.365 There was misunderstanding. 00:12:17.365 --> 00:12:19.166 There was no future. 00:12:20.332 --> 00:12:21.700 But in him you have a new life. 00:12:21.700 --> 00:12:26.865 I mean, I look back on my life before really knowing him. 00:12:27.732 --> 00:12:28.966 And sometimes I look back on that. 00:12:28.966 --> 00:12:32.466 It's like I'm watching a movie of someone else's life. 00:12:32.466 --> 00:12:33.399 It's like I who is? 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:36.299 I don't even feel like I relate to that guy at all. 00:12:36.299 --> 00:12:44.533 It's a completely, almost like a completely different person because of how new he's made me. 00:12:44.566 --> 00:12:45.966 So born again. 00:12:45.966 --> 00:12:48.932 Born anew, born to a new life. 00:12:48.932 --> 00:12:50.166 What is the result of that, though? 00:12:50.166 --> 00:12:53.899 Here in the passage he says, born again to a living hope. 00:12:54.365 --> 00:12:59.466 The result of being made new, born anew as a living hope. 00:12:59.466 --> 00:13:01.100 I love that phrase. 00:13:01.100 --> 00:13:03.432 Living hope. 00:13:03.432 --> 00:13:15.133 Our hope is alive and active now, of course, with our faith there is a past element, there's a future element, and there's a present element. 00:13:15.133 --> 00:13:19.100 In fact, one commentator said it this way Edmund Clowney, this will be on the screen. 00:13:19.100 --> 00:13:26.265 Our hope is anchored in past, completed in the future and remains in the present. 00:13:27.832 --> 00:13:29.365 It's anchored in the past. 00:13:29.365 --> 00:13:31.533 This is an ancient book. 00:13:31.533 --> 00:13:34.533 This is what we look back to. 00:13:34.765 --> 00:13:38.066 And of course, there's a future hope that we look forward to. 00:13:38.066 --> 00:13:39.466 Or one day everything will be made new. 00:13:39.466 --> 00:13:42.466 But also there's a present reality. 00:13:43.432 --> 00:13:53.100 12 said, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, joint and marrow, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 00:13:53.100 --> 00:13:54.566 It is living. 00:13:54.566 --> 00:13:56.033 It is active. 00:13:56.033 --> 00:13:57.232 It is real. 00:13:57.232 --> 00:13:59.533 It is true today. 00:13:59.533 --> 00:14:02.200 God's word is alive in your life today. 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:05.200 It's a living hope. 00:14:05.332 --> 00:14:11.332 This is important because we live in an age that is overwhelmed by anxiety. 00:14:11.332 --> 00:14:24.332 A couple of weeks ago, Troy Kolb, when he preached, he shared a video, a slide from a book by Jonathan Haidt about the almost, I guess you could say, pandemic of anxiety, anxiety among our age. 00:14:24.332 --> 00:14:32.500 It has escalated and almost an unprecedented level, and that is largely pointed to in his book. 00:14:32.500 --> 00:14:44.732 He makes the case that it's the confluence of smartphones, high speed internet and social media and the access instant access to those and has that has ramped up anxiety in our world. 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:50.232 But, you know, anxiety wasn't just suddenly created in our time. 00:14:50.232 --> 00:14:54.232 It's not like Steve Jobs came up with anxiety when he created the iPhone. 00:14:54.232 --> 00:14:55.865 It's been around a long time. 00:14:55.865 --> 00:14:58.100 There's been other words for it. 00:14:58.100 --> 00:15:02.166 One of the ancient words the Greeks used was hopelessness. 00:15:02.166 --> 00:15:08.200 In fact, the famous Greek writer Sophocles, who wrote the Odysseus tale, he said it this way you want to talk about despair. 00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:13.332 But this quote up on the screen from Sophocles, he said, it is best not to be born at all. 00:15:13.332 --> 00:15:15.200 And second best is to die at birth. 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:17.765 Yeah. 00:15:17.765 --> 00:15:20.765 Hopelessness, despair. 00:15:20.932 --> 00:15:22.566 That's been around a long time. 00:15:22.566 --> 00:15:27.365 A lot of people have felt that way. 00:15:27.365 --> 00:15:29.066 But that's not us. 00:15:29.066 --> 00:15:33.633 We might feel that way at times, but we have a living hope, an act of hope. 00:15:33.633 --> 00:15:44.232 We are made new to find true living hope in him, in His Word, living and active. 00:15:44.666 --> 00:15:46.299 That's part of why we turn to praise. 00:15:46.299 --> 00:15:47.799 That's what renews our minds. 00:15:47.799 --> 00:15:57.033 That's what renews our souls, gets our eyes off our present circumstances and onto him. 00:15:57.033 --> 00:16:01.232 So in him we have been born again to a living hope. 00:16:02.732 --> 00:16:04.466 But look here at the second reality. 00:16:04.466 --> 00:16:08.799 The second reason to praise is that we have a reserved inheritance. 00:16:09.066 --> 00:16:10.566 Look at verse four. 00:16:10.566 --> 00:16:21.700 We've been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, unfading, kept in heaven for you. 00:16:23.500 --> 00:16:28.600 This word inheritance would have been a really important word to the Jewish people. 00:16:28.600 --> 00:16:37.732 Last week we looked at how Moses established the covenant God's covenant with the Jews, and they said, yes, we will do all that you say. 00:16:37.732 --> 00:16:43.966 We will follow you, and God says, I will take you to a promised land. 00:16:43.966 --> 00:16:46.000 I have an inheritance for you. 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:46.633 It's a land. 00:16:46.633 --> 00:16:49.633 It's a place. 00:16:51.500 --> 00:16:58.700 There is something about knowing I have something out ahead of me that keeps me going through the difficult times. 00:16:58.700 --> 00:17:05.432 When they were sleeping on the sand, asking every five minutes, are we there yet? 00:17:05.432 --> 00:17:08.532 They knew, no, there is a promise. 00:17:08.732 --> 00:17:10.665 There is an inheritance for us. 00:17:10.665 --> 00:17:13.665 There is a place for us. 00:17:14.465 --> 00:17:29.066 But here's the challenge with an inheritance, it's so easy to become focused on the inheritance, focused on the place, focused on the possession, and forget about where it comes from. 00:17:30.099 --> 00:17:31.599 You've seen this. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:33.232 You've seen it happen. 00:17:33.232 --> 00:17:36.599 Phil Peercy is our chairman of the elders. He's a local banker. 00:17:36.599 --> 00:17:40.099 And he he shared with me a story in his office. 00:17:40.099 --> 00:17:51.400 One day, two people in there trying to argue and sort out the reality of how do we divide up the bank account of our deceased loved one? 00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:59.365 And it was heated, man, they were so intense because the money was so significant. 00:17:59.365 --> 00:18:02.365 All $110 of it. 00:18:05.133 --> 00:18:08.833 I don't know whether to laugh or cry, really. 00:18:08.833 --> 00:18:11.833 We're going to divide over that. 00:18:12.365 --> 00:18:14.500 A few weeks later. 00:18:14.500 --> 00:18:16.932 Now it was three people and it was $220. 00:18:16.932 --> 00:18:22.432 Again., almost coming to blows. 00:18:23.965 --> 00:18:29.200 It's so easy to be caught up on the gift and forget the giver. 00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:41.799 Now, in the Old Testament, the inheritance was a land, but it points forward to our true inheritance and in fact turn to the Book of Numbers. 00:18:41.799 --> 00:18:45.266 Even back in the Old Testament, the land. 00:18:45.266 --> 00:18:47.232 Yes, that was truly their inheritance. 00:18:47.232 --> 00:18:50.633 But there was a greater inheritance out ahead. 00:18:50.633 --> 00:19:00.700 Numbers Chapter 18 Numbers is up close to the front of your Bible Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. 00:19:00.700 --> 00:19:23.200 And it's, probably the least read book of the Bible because there's a lot of numbers in the book, but Numbers chapter 18, in here we see, you know, when the nation, there's 12 tribes of Israel, when they entered into the land, God promised each of them a portion except for one, except for one tribe. 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:24.232 They did not get land. 00:19:24.232 --> 00:19:26.200 In fact, here's what he says to Aaron in verse 20. 00:19:26.200 --> 00:19:36.400 And the Lord said to Aaron, who was the lead priest over the tribe of the Levites, you shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:41.432 I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel. 00:19:41.965 --> 00:19:45.500 Even back then, what kept them going was the promise of a land. 00:19:45.500 --> 00:19:50.700 But yet there was a greater promise, a greater portion. 00:19:50.700 --> 00:19:51.799 And so here's what this says. 00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:57.500 Back in first Peter, we get four different descriptors of what this inheritance is for us four different words. 00:19:57.500 --> 00:20:02.266 The first three all use the same letter on the front end to show a unity of thought. 00:20:02.266 --> 00:20:06.700 They all are negated by the letter A in the original language, and it comes out here. 00:20:06.700 --> 00:20:16.299 It's more like you could say in verse four, UN perishable, undefiled, unfading, not perishable, not defiled, not fading. 00:20:17.432 --> 00:20:23.165 Let's talk about each of those words first, that word imperishable, un perishable. 00:20:23.165 --> 00:20:28.000 One of the ways to translate that is impervious to corruption and death. 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:32.200 One Bible translation says undestroyable. 00:20:33.066 --> 00:20:35.432 It can't be gotten rid of. 00:20:35.432 --> 00:20:41.365 In fact, when that same word is used of God, it's it's translated as immortal. 00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:49.799 There is nothing you can do to get rid of the inheritance you have in him. 00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:51.566 It's described as imperishable. 00:20:51.566 --> 00:20:54.566 Next is described as undefiled. 00:20:55.032 --> 00:20:57.700 27. 00:20:57.700 --> 00:21:16.133 If you have read the book of James, pure, and this is often quoted in terms of how we should think about the church, pure and undefiled religion is this, that you should care for widows and orphans in their distress, and keep oneself unstained by the world. 00:21:16.732 --> 00:21:19.566 The enemy hates purity. 00:21:19.566 --> 00:21:26.500 He wants to see every element of purity corrupted and destroyed. 00:21:26.833 --> 00:21:29.833 He hates purity in the young. 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:36.032 He wants them stained by the corruption of this world. 00:21:36.032 --> 00:21:37.665 And it's so pervasive everywhere. 00:21:37.665 --> 00:21:38.400 You can't. 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:41.400 You almost can't avoid it. 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:43.799 But there is a place that is pure. 00:21:43.799 --> 00:21:55.833 There is an inheritance that is undefiled the way things were meant to be that is set apart for us imperishable, undefiled. 00:21:55.833 --> 00:22:01.665 And then lastly it says unfading in verse four. 00:22:01.865 --> 00:22:04.865 That word’s interesting, unfading. 00:22:05.133 --> 00:22:10.900 I don't know how we get our minds about that, because everything in our world is fading. 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:13.665 I was talking with the gentleman this morning. 00:22:13.665 --> 00:22:18.965 If I don't do something physically and exercise every day, it's fading. 00:22:18.965 --> 00:22:20.799 And even though I do, it's fading. 00:22:22.833 --> 00:22:29.799 I had a grandpa who was one of the most amazing, intense guys in my mind. 00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:32.400 There was nothing he couldn't do. 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:36.465 I really considered him to be the original, most interesting man in the world. 00:22:36.465 --> 00:22:40.932 I mean, this guy had his own plane and piloted it, and he served in World War two. 00:22:40.932 --> 00:22:42.400 He had a he was a businessman. 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:44.000 He had his own emu farm. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:46.599 It seemed like he could do anything. 00:22:46.599 --> 00:22:48.099 He'd start something, try it again. 00:22:48.099 --> 00:22:52.200 He was an avid hunter, outdoorsman, always on the go. 00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:53.532 Tough guy, man. 00:22:53.532 --> 00:22:54.965 You look at pictures of him in his 20s. 00:22:54.965 --> 00:22:57.032 He looks like an Olympic athlete. 00:22:57.032 --> 00:22:59.365 Later in life, he was always still active hunting. 00:22:59.365 --> 00:23:05.500 In fact, one time he came upon a rattlesnake, killed it with his bare hands and turned it into a pair of boots. 00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:11.400 Take that. 00:23:12.200 --> 00:23:15.200 Tough guy. 00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:18.500 And yet the end still came for him too. 00:23:18.833 --> 00:23:24.566 99 years old, 55 days shy of 100. 00:23:25.133 --> 00:23:33.833 And Thursday before last, we were standing at his gravesite, where we had stood 26 years earlier, where his wife was laid to rest after a battle with cancer. 00:23:33.833 --> 00:23:36.833 After their 50 years together. 00:23:38.665 --> 00:23:40.833 None of us escape time. 00:23:40.833 --> 00:23:42.900 This world is fading. 00:23:42.900 --> 00:23:46.200 Everything we put significance in, in this world, it's. 00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:48.900 It will fade away. 00:23:48.900 --> 00:23:52.299 In the front of my Bible if it's not already there. 00:23:52.299 --> 00:23:55.299 I'll read Isaiah 48. 00:23:55.465 --> 00:24:01.266 All men are like grass, and their glory is like the flowers of the field. 00:24:01.266 --> 00:24:09.932 The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of the Lord stands forever. 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:12.900 It's all fading. 00:24:12.900 --> 00:24:16.900 Not this unfading inheritance. 00:24:18.599 --> 00:24:24.400 And then the last word he uses imperishable, unfading. 00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:26.099 Lastly, he says this about it. 00:24:26.099 --> 00:24:29.099 It's kept in heaven for you. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:30.633 He set it aside. 00:24:30.633 --> 00:24:33.633 He's kept it for you. 00:24:38.232 --> 00:24:45.232 The same word as you used in John chapter two to describe this surprising element of something being set aside for you. 00:24:45.232 --> 00:24:52.465 It's when Jesus turns the waters to wine and the people there who rule over the wedding. They say, why have you held out the good wine? 00:24:52.465 --> 00:24:54.266 Why have you kept back the good wine? 00:24:54.266 --> 00:24:57.500 Why have you reserved the good wine until the last? 00:24:57.500 --> 00:25:00.500 It was shocking. 00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:04.665 God has kept this inheritance for you. 00:25:04.900 --> 00:25:07.900 It can't be taken away. 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:11.000 It's as secure as your DNA. 00:25:11.665 --> 00:25:15.732 Look, my children could never do anything to not be my children. 00:25:17.266 --> 00:25:20.266 Oh, there may be times of discipline. 00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:29.500 There may be times, especially if you have a child that has gone completely off the rails, where you have to draw hard boundaries and do very difficult things, but you do it in love. 00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:33.232 You love them because they are your children. 00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:36.599 That inheritance is kept for you. 00:25:37.365 --> 00:25:44.165 It is their reserve waiting and nothing can take it away. 00:25:44.165 --> 00:25:47.165 Nothing at all. 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:54.532 One of the challenging things about Scripture is how this has kind of a dual reality. 00:25:55.299 --> 00:26:00.099 In fact, let's look at this third reason to pray is to unpack this. 00:26:00.099 --> 00:26:03.133 So we've seen we've been been reborn into a hope. 00:26:03.133 --> 00:26:04.599 We have an inheritance reserved. 00:26:04.599 --> 00:26:06.566 But now look at this third way. 00:26:06.566 --> 00:26:08.200 And this is going to be in verse five. 00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:12.833 We have a salvation that will be revealed, salvation revealed. 00:26:12.833 --> 00:26:13.599 Look at verse five. 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:24.633 You have an inheritance kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed. 00:26:26.365 --> 00:26:27.900 Now this phrase is a little confusing. 00:26:27.900 --> 00:26:31.133 We have a salvation that's ready to be revealed. 00:26:31.133 --> 00:26:32.599 I thought I was saved, John. 00:26:32.599 --> 00:26:36.365 What do you mean you're going to reveal it eventually? 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:43.200 Well, all throughout Scripture, we see concepts that have a present reality and a future reality. 00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:46.200 We often say it's the already, not yet. 00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:48.732 It's the both and; both are true. 00:26:48.732 --> 00:26:50.700 Both are at play. 00:26:50.700 --> 00:26:52.599 And so yes, you are safe. 00:26:52.599 --> 00:26:55.333 You are secure in him completely. 00:26:55.333 --> 00:26:58.932 But yet there's a future reality to it as well. 00:26:59.165 --> 00:27:01.566 And of course, we've been talking about inheritance. 00:27:01.566 --> 00:27:03.833 That's a great example of this. 00:27:03.833 --> 00:27:08.432 You know, in our age you may not know if an inheritance is yours yet or not. 00:27:08.432 --> 00:27:11.799 And someone might tell you, yeah, you're in my will, but who knows? 00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:13.566 You'll find out. 00:27:13.566 --> 00:27:17.465 But maybe it's more like a trust fund where it has been set aside. 00:27:17.465 --> 00:27:19.000 Your name is on it. Legally. 00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:21.900 No one else can touch it. It is yours. 00:27:21.900 --> 00:27:24.400 But yet, is it yours fully yet? 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:25.432 It's definitely yours. 00:27:25.432 --> 00:27:27.232 It's not anyone else's. But yet. 00:27:27.232 --> 00:27:29.665 Do you have full access to it yet? 00:27:29.665 --> 00:27:29.965 No. 00:27:29.965 --> 00:27:33.766 But there will be a day. That inheritance, It's yours. It's yours completely. 00:27:33.766 --> 00:27:38.032 And there will be a day where it's yours fully. 00:27:38.032 --> 00:27:41.032 And that salvation that you have now. 00:27:41.133 --> 00:27:44.133 Knowing Christ being made new in him. 00:27:44.333 --> 00:27:46.732 Yeah, you're experiencing that at one level now. 00:27:46.732 --> 00:27:49.165 And yet there will be a day. 00:27:49.165 --> 00:27:51.133 First Corinthians 13 talks about this. 00:27:51.133 --> 00:27:56.900 Now we see him dimly as in a clouded mirror. 00:27:56.900 --> 00:28:02.066 But one day we will know him fully, just as we will be fully known. 00:28:04.232 --> 00:28:06.700 So much of our view of our faith is clouded. 00:28:06.700 --> 00:28:09.700 It's clouded by sin. 00:28:09.833 --> 00:28:12.833 It's clouded by unknowing. 00:28:12.865 --> 00:28:15.633 But there will be a day. 00:28:15.633 --> 00:28:18.200 And in fact, this is how the passage ends. 00:28:18.200 --> 00:28:20.599 This takes us back to the theme of First Peter. 00:28:20.599 --> 00:28:23.599 It's the first few words in verse six. 00:28:23.900 --> 00:28:37.566 In this, meaning in verses three through five, and all that reality in this you rejoice, in this is where you find joy, in the salvation, in this being made new, in this inheritance. 00:28:37.566 --> 00:28:46.400 This is where we place our joy and hope, the reality that there will be a day when all is made new. 00:28:46.400 --> 00:28:51.665 I have a friend who serves in ministry and he was through a difficult season. 00:28:51.665 --> 00:28:56.133 A lot of his funding had dried up and they were wondering, what are we going to do? 00:28:56.133 --> 00:29:03.000 We feel like God has called us to serve in this, and I've shared the front half of this story before. 00:29:03.066 --> 00:29:06.066 One day he gets a call. 00:29:06.133 --> 00:29:19.032 We want you to know you've been named to an estate, to an inheritance, and you'll be receiving the first payment of that in the next week. 00:29:19.032 --> 00:29:23.232 And it was enough to pay for his house out of the blue. 00:29:23.232 --> 00:29:24.400 Completely unexpected. 00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:27.365 Not a relative. 00:29:27.365 --> 00:29:39.299 And the beautiful part of that was the phrase they said, the first payment is coming this week, and it was a year later. 00:29:39.299 --> 00:29:42.799 The next payment came, and it was also a significant amount. 00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:50.266 And both of those set them up to be able to continue to serve in ministry in the midst of the challenges they were facing. 00:29:50.266 --> 00:29:52.766 Now we all hear that and we go, that's what I'm praying for, Lord. 00:29:53.900 --> 00:29:54.400 Amen. 00:29:54.400 --> 00:30:01.766 If anybody needs someone to add to their inheritance, I'll be a willing person. 00:30:03.766 --> 00:30:05.266 But that's fading. 00:30:05.266 --> 00:30:07.066 That house is fading. 00:30:07.066 --> 00:30:10.365 That retirement plan they funded is fading. 00:30:10.365 --> 00:30:15.766 We have an inheritance that is unfading, imperishable. 00:30:16.299 --> 00:30:17.799 It will never go away. 00:30:17.799 --> 00:30:19.465 It's kept in heaven for you. 00:30:19.465 --> 00:30:21.932 Put your hope in that. 00:30:21.932 --> 00:30:24.932 Find your joy in that. 00:30:26.032 --> 00:30:32.500 Look, as exciting as a surprise inheritance on Earth is, this is manifold. 00:30:32.500 --> 00:30:40.266 So much more greater the hope we have in him his life, death and resurrection on our behalf. 00:30:41.333 --> 00:30:43.732 Praise him for that. 00:30:43.732 --> 00:30:45.432 In fact, I want to do that right now. 00:30:45.432 --> 00:30:48.432 Let's just stand and let's praise. 00:30:49.299 --> 00:30:52.700 And I just want you to praise out loud where you are. 00:30:52.700 --> 00:31:01.532 Just begin to praise him for what he's done in your life, out loud now. It could be and as I shout words out, you can shout them as well. 00:31:01.532 --> 00:31:02.833 Or you can shout others. 00:31:02.833 --> 00:31:05.200 It could be for his goodness. 00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:08.200 Who would say, God has been good to you? 00:31:08.266 --> 00:31:10.932 Well say it out loud, he is good. 00:31:12.465 --> 00:31:14.700 It could be for his forgiveness. 00:31:14.700 --> 00:31:17.700 Just say whatever word that he has. 00:31:17.833 --> 00:31:25.932 You praise him for his goodness, his forgiveness, his redemption. 00:31:26.099 --> 00:31:28.932 For his salvation. 00:31:28.932 --> 00:31:31.566 His love for you. 00:31:31.566 --> 00:31:34.566 When I was unlovable, he loved me. 00:31:35.066 --> 00:31:38.066 When I rejected him, he came after me. 00:31:38.599 --> 00:31:39.400 God, thank you. 00:31:39.400 --> 00:31:41.799 We praise you for your holiness. 00:31:41.799 --> 00:31:43.165 This world is impure. 00:31:43.165 --> 00:31:44.500 This world hates you. 00:31:44.500 --> 00:31:46.833 You are holy. 00:31:46.833 --> 00:31:47.400 Thank you. 00:31:47.400 --> 00:31:50.400 Jesus. 00:31:50.665 --> 00:31:59.500 God, we ask that you would give us the power to praise you in the midst of the challenges this week. 00:32:00.266 --> 00:32:02.299 Jesus, help us to lean on you. 00:32:02.299 --> 00:32:05.299 Help us to find our hope in your word. 00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:13.299 And I don't know who in here needs that hope today. 00:32:13.299 --> 00:32:19.532 That living hope, that assurance that you are with them. 00:32:20.165 --> 00:32:21.500 God, would you comfort? 00:32:21.500 --> 00:32:24.500 Would you surround every person in here? 00:32:24.532 --> 00:32:26.500 Would you wrap your arms around them? 00:32:26.500 --> 00:32:28.299 Let them feel your presence today. 00:32:32.200 --> 00:32:33.965 Jesus, we love you. 00:32:33.965 --> 00:32:34.400 Amen.